The King's Five

The challenge was accepted. The news spread through the city's underworld like a shockwave. It wasn't just a gang war; it was a formal, high-stakes deathmatch between the old guard, backed by a shadowy corporate syndicate, and the new, enigmatic Thug King and his court. The abandoned warehouse chosen as the venue became the most anticipated spot in the entire Kanto region.

On the Seiryu rooftop, Kenji's impromptu war council was in session.

"The team," Akari said, her voice all business as she tapped on her tablet. "The rules state five-on-five. We have you, Tanaka-kun, Sato-san, and Maruyama-kun. That's three. We need two more. You said you have made your selections."

"Who, Sensei?" Rina asked, her eyes burning. "Whoever they are, they better be ready to die."

Kenji's gaze shifted to the corner of the rooftop, where Ishikawa Kaito, the Kendo Captain, had been practicing his swings. He had paused his training, listening to the unfolding drama.

"Ishikawa Kaito-san," Kenji called out.

Kaito straightened up, surprised to be addressed. "Hai, Tanaka-kun."

"You will be the fourth member," Kenji stated.

Akari's eyes widened. "My cousin? Tanaka-kun, with all due respect, Kaito is a brilliant kendo practitioner, but his art is sport-based. He fights with a shinai, not a live blade. The Monarchs are killers."

"I am aware," Kenji said, his gaze fixed on Kaito. "Your swordsmanship is precise, your footwork is excellent, and your mind is calm under pressure. But you rely on rules. The rule that you cannot strike anywhere but designated targets. The rule that you cannot use the hilt or the flat of the blade. This has made your style rigid."

Kaito listened, his expression serious. He was not offended; he was intrigued.

"The opponent you will face, 'The Ghost', will not follow these rules," Kenji continued. "He will use a shorter blade, perhaps a wakizashi or a kodachi. He will strike from your blind spots. He will aim for your joints and your throat. To defeat him, you must unlearn the sport and remember the art of killing, from which kendo was born."

He walked over to Kaito. "Can you do that? Can you break your own rules to protect our foundation?"

Kaito looked at Kenji, then at his cousin Akari, then at the school that was finally at peace. He thought of the chaos that would return if they failed. He gripped his shinai tightly. "I live and die by the sword. Whether it is for points or for my life makes no difference. I will not fail you."

"Good," Kenji said. "You are the fourth."

"That still leaves the fifth member," Akari said, her brow furrowed. "Who could possibly stand against the last Monarch? Who do we have with that level of skill?"

"We do not have anyone," Kenji replied calmly.

The group stared at him, confused.

"Then... we are forfeiting one match?" Rina asked, aghast at the idea.

"No," Kenji said. "Our fifth member will not be a fighter."

He turned and looked directly at Akari Ishikawa.

Akari felt her heart stop. "Me? Tanaka-kun, you must be joking. I am a strategist, an administrator. I have no combat training."

"I am aware," Kenji said. "The Kanto Monarchs... 'The Juggernaut', 'The Viper', 'The Professor', 'The Ghost'. They are specialists. They have a wrestler, a kickboxer, a submission artist, and a swordsman. Pantheon Global has chosen them to gather data on how my style counters other disciplines."

He paused, his eyes holding a new, chillingly intelligent light. "But the fifth member of their team is Yamata Kazuya. He is not a specialist. He is a brawler, a leader. His role is not to gather data. His role is to be the lynchpin, the psychological core of their team. He is the one they are using to provoke me."

He looked at Akari. "You will be our fifth member. And you will be my lynchpin."

"How?" Akari asked, her mind reeling.

"You will not fight," Kenji explained. "You will be my second. My advisor. You will stand in our corner. You will observe. Your opponent is not Yamata's fists. Your opponent is his mind. You understand him better than anyone. You will analyze his team's strategy, their coordination, their morale. You will feed me and the others intelligence during the battles. In this fight, your mind is a more valuable weapon than any fist."

It was a brilliant, insane strategy. He wasn't just building a team of fighters; he was building a complete combat unit with a field commander. He was acknowledging Akari's strength and weaponizing it.

Akari was speechless. She had always operated from the shadows, from her office. He was asking her to stand on the battlefield itself, armed with nothing but her intellect. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating.

"...I accept," she said, her voice steady, a thrill running through her.

"So that's the team," Rina said, looking around. "A berserker," she pointed to herself. "A tank," she pointed to Maruyama. "A samurai," she pointed to Kaito. "A general," she pointed to Akari. "And..." she looked at Kenji, "a god."

It was a strange, eclectic, but undeniably powerful team.

"The matchups will be decided by them, most likely," Akari said, her mind already shifting into tactical mode. "They will try to create favorable pairings. Maruyama-kun, they will almost certainly pit you against 'The Juggernaut', their wrestling champion. A battle of grapplers."

"I will not lose," Maruyama stated simply.

"Rina-san, your aggressive, wide-ranging style makes you the natural opponent for 'The Viper', the kickboxer," Akari continued.

"I'll break his legs," Rina grinned.

"Kaito-kun, you will face 'The Ghost'. A duel of blades."

Kaito nodded, his expression serene.

"Which leaves Yamata and 'The Professor', their submission expert," Akari mused. "They will almost certainly save you for last, Tanaka-kun. They will try to wear down our team first."

"It does not matter who I face," Kenji said. "The outcome will be the same."

He looked at his assembled team. His first true command. His first war council. They were a strange mix of rivals and personalities, but in that moment, they were united by a single purpose.

"We have two days until the battle," Kenji announced. "We will use that time to prepare. Maruyama-san, Rina-san, you will spar against each other. Your styles are different, it will force you to adapt. Kaito-san, you will train with me. I will show you how to unlearn your rules."

He looked at Akari. "And you will gather every piece of information that exists about our opponents. Their past fights, their habits, their weaknesses. Hina-san's resources will be invaluable for this."

It was a comprehensive training plan, delivered with the quiet authority of a seasoned general.

"And what about Yui-san?" Akari asked the most important question. "She is the target of all this. She cannot be left alone."

Kenji's expression softened for a fraction of a second. "She will be the safest person in the city. Hina-san has already offered her family's protection. Yui will be moved to the Otokawa estate until this is over. She will be guarded by their professional security. She will be in a fortress none of them can touch."

He had thought of everything.

The team looked at each other, a new, powerful sense of unity flowing between them. They were not just a random group of fighters. They were the Thug King's chosen five. They were the wall standing between a shadowy syndicate and the peace of their school.

"Let them come," Rina whispered, her voice a low, dangerous promise. "We'll be waiting."